The Transformers

The war goes on across 49 looser episodes, many of them spotlighting a single character or team. Spike's girlfriend Carly joins the human cast. The show digs into Cybertron's past: it shows Optimus before the war, back when he was Orion Pax, and introduces the wise Alpha Trion and the first female Transformers. “Dinobot Island” brings in much of the 1985 toy line, including Omega Supreme, Astrotrain and Blitzwing. Skyfire is quietly dropped early on. Near the end, the combiner teams debut: the Aerialbots, Stunticons, Protectobots and Combaticons. The season wraps in January 1986 with the war still raging. The story then jumps 20 years ahead, to the movie set in 2005.

1. ReferenceOrion Pax before Optimus

   In “War Dawn” (S2, ep. 44), aired on Christmas Day 1985, the Aerialbots travel back in time and meet Orion Pax, a gentle robot from Cybertron's past.

   source ↗
2. ReferenceThe first female Transformers

   “The Search for Alpha Trion” (S2, ep. 32) introduces Alpha Trion and the show's first female Transformers.

   source ↗
3. Behind the scenesSkyfire vanished over legal issues

   Skyfire was phased out early in the season because of legal complications with Bandai.

   source ↗
4. Behind the scenes49 episodes in under 4 months

   The season aired from September 23, 1985, to January 9, 1986. “Dinobot Island” introduces much of the 1985 toy line.

   source ↗